PASSCA trolley jacks are a lightweight and reliable solution for on-the-go vehicle lifting needs. 

The reduced weight and portability of trolley jacks makes them the best piece of equipment for race teams, home garages, and carrying onboard a vehicle for emergencies. 

All of PASSCA’s trolley jacks feature sturdy steel construction, premium hydraulic fluid, and have been inspected to meet a rigorous standard of quality

Trolley Jacks: The Ultimate FAQ

At PASSCA, we offer a wide variety of diverse floor jacks to meet the specific needs of our customers, and trolley jacks are an excellent niche solution for many people. 

This FAQ guide is intended to educate our customers about the styles of trolley jacks that are available, how to choose the best trolley jack for you, and some of the best practices and care tips for your trolley jack. We add to this guide all the time, so please, send us your questions

What Is a Trolley Jack?

A trolley jack, also known as a hydraulic trolley floor jack, is a lightweight and stable piece of equipment for lifting vehicles. 

Hydraulic trolley jacks are simply a hydraulic jack with a manual pump handle, mounted on wheels and are kept as light as possible to allow for easy use. 

Unlike other types of jacks that are meant to double as lifting devices for equipment, buildings, shipping containers, or really anything that needs to be raised up, trolley jacks are completely specialized for lifting vehicles.

How Does a Trolley Jack Work?

A trolley car jack works by compressing hydraulic fluid in the piston as the operator pumps the handle, allowing them to lift objects relatively quickly and with minimal effort on the part of the vehicle’s owner or automotive technician. 

Because of the manual nature of a trolley hydraulic jack, pressurizing the oil inside is easily controlled by the amount of energy the operator expends. 

The pressure in the trolley jack raises the saddle, which contacts a lift point on the underside of a vehicle, allowing it to be raised for servicing.

What Is the Difference Between a Trolley Jack and Other Types of Jacks?

Trolley Jack vs Bottle Jack: While both trolley jacks and bottle jacks are relatively smaller than long floor jacks, a trolley jack will usually be easier to position due to its wheels and is usually built for a lower weight capacity. 

Trolley Jack vs Floor Jack: Because trolley jacks are a type of floor jacks, this may seem like a difficult distinction; however, the traditional floor jack will be heavier and more powerful than a transportable trolley jack. 

Most floor jacks have front wheels that only move forward or backward, while trolley jacks have all four wheels on casters to allow for much easier and quicker positioning, even though trolley jacks are generally less expensive than floor jacks.

Trolley Jack vs Scissor Jack: Scissor jacks are the typical trunk inclusion for the rare event a driver needs to change a tire on the roadside.

But, scissor jacks are quite cheap due to their tendency to wear out or break under heavy lifting conditions, while PASSCA trolley jacks have an overload safety valve and use hydraulics to make operation much, much faster and easier for the driver.

What Are the Benefits of a Floor Trolley Jack?

The slightly higher hydraulic jack trolley price causes many motorists to choose a scissor jack for their trunk kit, but the benefits of a trolley jack make it a much easier solution for emergency lifts. 

The speed and ease of a trolley jack that perfectly fits your vehicle, combined with the multidirectional wheels and light construction means you could probably even change a tire on the roadside and make it to work on time without breaking a sweat

What Size Trolley Jack Do I Need?

The size of the trolley jack for your vehicle is tied to two pieces of information: the ground clearance and weight of your vehicle. 

It is recommended to use a jack that can handle at least 75% of your vehicle’s total weight if you are lifting one wheel off of the ground; PASSCA offers trolley jacks with a variety of weight capacities. 

The minimum height of a jack is the next important piece of information; PASSCA trolley jacks have a minimum height between 80 and 192 mm, and you will want to get this as close to your vehicle’s ground clearance as possible to ensure a large range of potential lifting.

What Specifications of Trolley Jack Does PASSCA Offer?

PASSCA manufactures and offers a number of 2 ton trolley jacks, some 2.5 ton trolley jacks, and a variety of 3 ton trolley jacks. 

While we do not have a 4 ton trolley jack or a hydraulic trolley jack 5 ton, this is because those jacks would need to be heavier in order to remain safe so those weights are better served by heftier types of jacks like a bottle jack. 

Where to Place My Trolley Jack Under a Car?

Always follow your vehicle’s manufacturer-recommended lift points, usually along with the chassis where you can safely support the vehicle’s weight.

How to Fix a Trolley Jack? 

The most common issues with trolley jacks all stem from extra air in the oil tank. 

You can normally fix a jack that is not holding pressure or will not move by bleeding the trolley jack. 

How Can I Bleed My Trolley Jack? 

Bleeding a jack is the best way to remove excess air in the system and restore it to proper functionality. 

You should routinely bleed your trolley jack to ensure it works reliably, and sometimes bleeding a jack will fix issues that are limiting the weight capacity or prohibiting the jack from maintaining pressure. 

To bleed your trolley jack, you need to first open the release valve to allow the air an escape. 

Then, pump the jack completely about twenty times with the jack handle. 

Finally, put the handle in the downward position and retighten the release valve to seal it off while mostly emptied of air.

How Do I Know Which Trolley Jack to Buy? 

 To find the best trolley jack for you, you will need to look at the options and your specific vehicle.

Trolley jacks can be used on a variety of vehicles, but you can easily maximize the benefits to yourself by choosing the perfect fit and not just grabbing the first trolley jack for sale that you see. 

Drive a Standard Car or Passenger Van: For most standard passenger vehicles, a mid-range trolley jack should work just fine. 

Drive a Sports Car: A low profile trolley jack would be the wisest choice for a sports car, since they typically sit much lower to the ground for enhanced performance. I Drive an SUV or Truck: For heavier vehicles, a heavy duty trolley jack with a higher lift capacity like the 3 ton model would work best; if your vehicle has a lift kit or sits high off the ground you will need to ensure that a trolley jack can provide enough lift to service it.

What Fluid Is Inside a Trolley Jack?

All PASSCA jacks use a premium hydraulic fluid, though other manufacturers may use pneumatic fluid or other oil types. 

You should always verify the type of oil a trolley jack is built to use before replacing the oil. 

In a pinch, you can top off the fluid in a jack with a different type of oil, but you should always replace it soon after doing that.

Should I Choose a High Lift Trolley Jack or a Low Entry Trolley Jack?

Choosing between more lift and lower entry is a tricky balancing act that many people struggle with. 

While a lower entry jack can fit underneath more vehicle models, the lift range might not be great enough to effectively raise the car for servicing or repairs. 

If you are choosing a trolley jack as an emergency lifting device to keep in your vehicle, you should choose the lowest entry trolley jack that will barely fit under your vehicle. 

However, be sure to take into account the lowering of your vehicle’s chassis due to a flat tire or other roadside emergency. 

A high lifting jack can be useful, but for changing tires you really do not want the vehicle raised too much or the replacement will become more difficult as you have to raise the spare tire even more to attach it. 

What Else Should I Carry in an Emergency Jack Kit?

Lifting a vehicle with only a trolley jack might end well most of the time, but it is not exactly the safest method and it is not suggested. 

It is possible to get a trolley jack kit, in most cases, that also includes portable jack stands and wheel chocks, to make your lifts much safer for everyone involved. 

Wheel chocks are small wedges of rubber or plastic that stop a vehicle from shifting or rolling while you work on it. 

Jack stands are also an important safety step, since hydraulic jacks will slowly lose pressure over time; if you need to lift your vehicle for more than an hour, you will need to keep returning to pump it back up to the proper height. 

Great job! Now you are prepared to choose the best trolley jack for your vehicle and take good care of your new equipment. 

For the specifications of each trolley jack model, you can refer to the PASSCA Catalog. 

Contact PASSCA Tools now for all your automotive equipment needs.